Fifth Belper Goes Green Festival A Huge Success
The fifth Belper Goes Green Eco festival, organised by Transition Belper, saw thousands of visitors attending the event at Belper Rugby Club over the weekend of the 2nd – 4th of June.
The aim of the festival was to share simpler, low carbon and environmentally friendly ways of doing things in a relaxed and uplifting way. The festival worked hard to be more responsible with extensive recycling efforts, information boards, renewable energy powered stages, reusable recycled glasses, and a solar power recharge point.
David George, the festival organiser said: “It has been absolutely superb with the attendance over the weekend being well beyond our wildest dreams. It has far exceeded expectations.”
As well as there being a huge choice of food, CAMRA provided around 30 real ales and ciders that had almost sold out by the Saturday evening.
Around 40 bands took to the Solar and Bike powered stages to play a plethora of musical styles from ska to heavy metal to folk. Highlights included a packed Friday night audience for electro-dance group Water For Dogs and funky rock band Blackfish. Saturday saw folk act Rogue Embers receive plenty of attention in the sunshine, Wheatabix headlined the Bike Stage and blistering Crimewolf closed the evening. Sunday was a little more subdued as Sunflower Thieves, Moon Bullet and Plasma Tiger provided entertainment for those sheltering from the rain and wanting to experience the best Belper has to offer in live music.
The Fun Palace, Talks Tent, Wellbeing Area, Stone Balancing circle and Human Library all offered alternative things to learn, create and get involved with. Jo Blackwood, a Derby based performance poet, and part of the Human Library said: “It (The Human Library) is to spread awareness of different thought types, be more expansive in the way we think and how we meet people from other backgrounds.”
Yasmin Martin from AVAF (Amber Valley Against Fracking) said of the festival: “It’s absolutely wonderful. I’ve really enjoyed it. The majority of the people you see here are genuinely interested and want to know what you are about and what is happening.”
The family friendly festival had a large children’s area featuring a wide range of activities such as badge and bookmark making, colouring and the ever popular Derbyshire Toy Library. Organiser Ann-Marie McMillan said the festival had a “Great vibe, lovely community spirit and it was lovely seeing old and familiar faces. The kids zone is bigger and better than ever. We are in a much better position than last year. Families can listen to the music and their children can play safely.”
Ola Wilson’s cardboard box labyrinth, made from unwanted DS Smith boxes, proved to be extremely popular as did Alistair Farr’s chainsaw, fire breathing story telling that kept children enraptured.
Shamin Clare said: “It’s wonderful, it’s a great community atmosphere with beautiful weather and a gorgeous view.”
Were you there? Take a look at our gallery below:
Thank you for your informative and factual journalism. Yes, BIG was excellent. It gets better every year.
What a splendid event. Great atmosphere.well done to all involved.
It was a fantastic weekend! It’s a shame your article or pictures did not feature the community hub and the heartwarming contribution that so many people made to the gratitude bunting.
Thankfully, there will be more opportunity to see it and hopefully add to it at the great get-together at the Memorial Gardens on 17th June.